FI128553B - Portable device and portable system - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable device (100) and a portable system are presented. The portable device (100) comprises a compartment (50) for receiving a battery (55), a space (12) for receiving an object (10) which temperature is to be controlled, an electrical heating element (22) arranged or adapted to be arranged into the space (12), and at least one temperature sensor (24) arranged or adapted to be arranged into the space (12) for determining a temperature (91) inside the space (12). The device (100) further comprises a controlling unit (20) and indication means (26; 90) for indicating to a user a safe storage of the object (10). The controlling unit (20) is arranged in connection with the temperature sensor (24) and configured for controlling the temperature (91) by the electrical heating element (22) based on the determined temperature (91).

Description

PORTABLE DEVICE AND PORTABLE SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to portable devices and systems for storing temperature sensitive objects. In particular, however not exclusively, the present invention concerns a portable device including active means for control- ling temperature of the object.

BACKGROUND One problem for people with diabetes practicing winter sports or outdoors activ- ities, is carrying their insulin and blood glucose measuring device with them all — the time. Insulin must not freeze. Even if the insulin is kept in a bag or pocket, there is no assurance that it is safe, as it is well known fact that insulin may freeze in a bag placed in a car trunk, in a backpack, or in a belt pouch. Further- more, a device for measuring continuously or occasionally blood glucose level, is also a part of the vital diabetes supporting accessories.

There are known solution for storing medication, such as insulin. Cool bags, specifically insulin cool bags, are widely available. Their function is based on thermal insulation and pre-cooled material, sometimes known as “cool packs” and by similar names, that slow down warming of the bag. Thermal insulation also slows down the freezing of the content. However, these bags don’t cool, they are not cooling, nor they cannot heat, but they try to retain the temperature by insulation and by the mass in the added materials, in the other words slow down the temperature change, and can't prevent freezing of insulin, however, o can only delay it. Freezing of insulin in a small thermal insulated bag may hap- AN pen in 30 minutes in a cold winter temperature. It is then on user's responsibility

N 6 25 not to use too cold cool packs that may cause the freezing of insulin.

O N SUMMARY

I & An objective of the present invention is to provide a portable device and a port- S able system. Another objective of the present invention is that the portable de- 2 Lo vice and the system indicates to a user that an item or object which temperature > 30 should be controlled has been stored in a safe storage temperature range during the whole storage time of the item or object.

The objectives of the invention are reached by a portable device and a portable system as defined by the respective independent claims.

According to a first aspect, a portable device is provided.

The portable device comprises a compartment for receiving a battery, a space, such as a pouch, for receiving an object which temperature is to be controlled, an electrical heating element arranged or adapted to be arranged into the space, and at least one temperature sensor arranged or adapted to be arranged into the space for de- termining a temperature inside the space.

The portable device further comprises a controlling unit comprising electrical connection means for connecting with the battery, a processing unit, a memory unit for storing data of the determined tem- perature, and indication means for indicating to a user a safe storage of the object.

The controlling unit is arranged in connection with the at least one tem- perature sensor for receiving the determined temperature, and configured to control the electrical heating element for controlling the temperature by the elec- trical heating element based on the determined temperature.

The portable de- vice is arranged to provide electrical power from the battery to the electrical heating element and, optionally, to the controlling unit.

The processing unit and the memory may be separate units or may be integrated into one unit.

In some embodiments, said indication means may include a light-emitting diode, such as being part of the controlling unit, or a display screen.

In various embodiments, the portable device may comprise, such as in the con- trolling unit thereof, a first communication unit, such as a short-range wireless 2 communication unit, for example, based on Bluetooth&, configured to establish S 25 afirst communication connection with a remote terminal, such as a smart phone se or a tablet, for transmitting at least part of the data of the determined tempera- 10 ture.

E In some embodiments, the space may be an inner volume of a pouch, the pouch s comprising thermal insulation material for thermally insulating the inner volume D 30 of the pouch.

In various embodiments, the portable device may comprise a plurality of tem- perature sensors arranged into the space for determining the temperature inside the space.

In various embodiments, the electrical heating element may be a part of an elec- trical heating unit, wherein the electrical heating unit further comprises a protec- tive layer. Alternatively or in addition, the electrical heating unit may comprise a reflective layer arranged next to and/or on opposite side of the electrical heating element relative to the protective layer. Further still, the electrical heating unit may be foldable. In some embodiments, the electrical heating unit may have a planar shape in at least one of its positions, such as when being unfolded. In various embodiments, the controlling unit may be configured to indicate via the indication means, if the determined temperature has been outside a safe storage temperature range, or if the consumed power, such as in the heating element, has been/is excessive indicating the danger of freezing or danger of running out of battery, or indicating poor insulating conditions, such as when the space is open. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controlling unit may be, alternatively or in addition, configured to indicate via the indication means, if the determined temperature has been outside a safe storage temperature range for a certain time period. In some embodiments, the controlling unit may be configured to indicate, via the indication means, a power consumption of the portable device. According to a second aspect, a portable system is provided. The portable sys- tem comprises the portable device according to the first aspect or any one of the embodiments thereof. The portable system further comprises a remote terminal, such as a smart phone or a tablet, comprising a second communication unit for connecting with the portable device, such as with the first communication unit thereof, for receiving at least part of the data of the determined temperature.

O O 25 In various embodiments, the remote terminal may be configured to indicate, se such as by a display screen, the safe storage of the object. N In some embodiments, the remote terminal may be configured to issue an alert E if the determined temperature has been outside a safe storage temperature s range. Furthermore, the remote terminal may be configured to issue the alert if > 30 the determined temperature has been outside the safe storage temperature 2 range for a certain time period.

N The present invention provides a portable device and a portable system. The present invention provides advantages over known solutions in that the user canbe ensured that the item or object, such as an insulin pen, which temperature should be controlled, has been stored in an acceptable, safe storage tempera- ture range during whole the storage time, not just at a particular moment, and that even if the environment changes severely, the warming power can be con- trolled in order to retain the safe storage temperature.

Various other advantages will become clear to a skilled person based on the following detailed description.

The expression "a number of” may herein refer to any positive integer starting from one (1).

The expression "a plurality of” may refer to any positive integer starting from two (2), respectively.

The terms “first”, “second” and “third” are herein used to distinguish one element from other element, and not to specially prioritize or order them, if not otherwise explicitly stated.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention presented herein are not to be interpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used herein as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of also unrecited features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the present inven- tion are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The present invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together N with additional objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood from N the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with 3 25 the accompanying drawings.

LO N

I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES a a s Some embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not D by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

N Figure 1 illustrates schematically an electrical heating unit according to an em- bodiment of the present invention

Figure 2 illustrates schematically a portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 3 illustrates schematically a portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 Figures 4A and 4B illustrate schematically a system including a bag and a port- able device according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 5 illustrates schematically a remote terminal and a portable device ac- cording to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 illustrates schematically a remote terminal, a further remote terminal and a portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 illustrates schematically a portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 8A and 8B illustrate schematically portable devices according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 9 illustrates schematically a remote terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 illustrates schematically an electrical heating unit 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electrical heating unit 30 may com- prise an electrical heating element 22, such as a heating resistor, and one or N several layers. The heating resistor can be made off high resistance wires N stitched or laminated with woven or non-woven fabric or other materials like rub- 3 ber, or off integrated conductive fibers in fabric making it conductive heating 3 fabrics as it is. Alternatively, the heating resistor can be made of or comprise = 25 conductive polymer. In case of several layers, the electrical heating unit 30 is a 3 multilayer electrical heating unit. Fig. 1 illustrates one example of the electrical 3 heating unit 30 which may comprise a protective layer 110 arranged next to or O on top of the electrical heating element 22. The layer 110 may be laminated with N materials protecting the surface mechanical impact and helping to spread the heat generated by element 22 evenly over the heating unit 30. The item or object which temperature is to be controlled, such as including medication, may bearranged next to the protective layer 110 on the opposite side of the protective layer 110 relative to the electrical heating element 22. Thus, the protective layer 110 prevents the item or object to become in direct contact with the electrical heating element 22.

The item or object which temperature is to be controlled may be one or a plurality of the following: an insulin pen, an adrenaline pen, a smartphone, a battery or powerbank, or baby milk, medicines and materials used in emergency service, such as dextrose, blood units, mannitol, etc.

Furthermore, the electrical heating unit 30 may, optionally, comprise a reflective layer 120 arranged on opposite side of the electrical heating element 22 relative to the protective layer 110. The layer 120 may be material that supports spread- ing the temperature along the area of electrical heating unit 30 though prevent- ing the heat escaping through the electrical heating unit 30. Furthermore, the electrical heating unit 30 may, optionally, comprise an insulating layer 130, that is thermally insulating layer, being arranged on opposite side of the reflective layer 120 relative to the electrical heating element 22. In some embodiments, there may also be another reflective layer 140 arranged on the opposite side of the insulating layer 130 relative to the reflective layer

120. Alternatively or in addition, the electrical heating unit 30 may comprise an- other protective layer 150 being arranged on the opposite side of the insulating layer 130 relative to the reflective layer 120, or on the opposite side of the an- other reflective layer 140 relative to the reflective layer 120. In various embodiments, the electrical heating unit 30 may, preferably, exhibit, 2 at least in some position, planar shape such that the dimension in a first direc- S 25 — tion, that is thickness, is considerably less than in second and third directions, se that is width and length, respectively, being perpendicular with respect to the O first direction. The dimensions in the second and third directions may be, for I example, in the range from 4 to 30 centimeters, preferably, from 7 to 20 centi- E meters, or from 10 to 25 centimeters. The dimension in the first direction may S 30 be, for example, in the range from 0.5 to 5 millimeters, such as from 1 to 3 milli- D meters.

O N Furthermore, according to various embodiments, the protective layer 110, or any combination of layers 110-150 may be foldable so that the electrical heating unit may be folded, for example, to a U- or a C-shape when looking from a sideof the unit 30. Thus, the electrical heating unit 30 may be folded so that two halves thereof are arranged next to each other, such as in the U-shape. The unit 30 may, alternatively, be folded so that it is not being folded exactly in the middle fitting to a pocket, bag or purse that is half in width or length compared to the electrical heater unit 30, however, still such that the folding provides a space between the two parts of the unit 30. The electrical heating element 22 may, thus, be arranged to heat the space. The electrical heating element 22 may be arranged to a portion of the electrical heating unit 30, that is at least to the portion onto which the item or the object is to be placed, or essentially to whole area of the unit 30. The unit 30 may, alternatively, be folded in three parts so that it fits in a pocket, purse or bag that is one third in width or length of unit 30. In various embodiments, the electrical heating unit 30 may be an integral elec- trical heating unit 30 having a connector for providing electrical power to the electrical heating element 22. Thus, the various layers 110-150 may be coupled to each other such that the electrical heating element 22 becomes enclosed in the electrical heating unit 30. The coupling may be done by using adhesive or stitches. In various embodiments, the electrical heating element 22, such as a resistor wire heater, uses 5 volts USB (Universal Serial Bus) power from the battery 55, such as the power bank. Controlling unit 20 sets a target temperature and while monitoring the temperature inside the space 12, it tunes the power so that the temperature remains close to the target as long as there is energy in the power bank. The heating element 22 or unit 30 may be arranged around the inner surface of N 25 the device, and is well insulated from outside with layers of fabrics, reflectors N and insulations. The better the insulation, the lower is energy consumption from 3 the battery 55 and the longer the device 100 can continue providing safe storage O temperature.

I E The controller unit 20 may have two LEDs, green provides direct information S 30 from wireless communication unit, such as Bluetooth® (BLE); blinking green D means the BLE is not connected, constant green indicates connected status, for > instance. The red LED may blink whenever the device is running. There may be three lengths of the red LED blinks; a very short blink, about 5 milliseconds, which means minimum heating power and minimum energyconsumption, little longer, about 20% on 80% off, which means that the temper- ature is close to target area, heating power is reduced from the maximum, and energy consumption is also reduced, and, finally, a long blink, about 60% on, which means that the heating element 22 or unit 30 is operating with the maxi- mum power. Figure 2 illustrates schematically a portable device 100 according to an embod- iment of the present invention. The device 100 may comprise a compartment 50, such as a pouch, for receiving a battery 55. The compartment 50 may be arranged separately or by a feature layer 160 arranged next to the protective layer 110, for instance. Furthermore, the device 100 may comprise a space 12 for receiving the item or object which temperature is to be controlled. The space in Fig. 2 is, preferably, at the portion of the heating unit 30 indicating one folding section 15 at which the device 100 may be folded, for example, to the U-shape. Thus, the space 12 may be provided when the device 100 is folded as described hereinbefore with respect to the electrical heating unit 30 at the folding section

15. The device 100 may, preferably, comprise an electrical heating element 22 arranged to provide heating to the space 12. The electrical heating element 22 may be arranged as an integral part of the electrical heating unit 30, such as shown in Fig. 1. The device 100 may, preferably, comprise at least one temper- ature sensor 24 arranged or adapted to be arranged into the space 12 for deter- mining a temperature inside the space 12. In various embodiments, the temperature sensor(s) 24 may, preferable, be ar- ranged such that it measures the temperature in the space 12 into which the object which temperature is to be controlled can be arranged. In some cases, o 25 the sensor(s) 24 may be part of the electrical heating unit 30, such as arranged AN on the side of the unit 30 onto which the item or object is to be arranged. On the N other hand, the sensor 24 may be arranged on the opposite side of the space 7 12 with respect to the object or item.

N = Furthermore, the portable device 100 may comprise a controlling unit 20, such 3 30 as arranged, optionally also attached, on the electrical heating unit 30, if any, S comprising electrical connection means 40, and/or a connector, for connecting 3 with the battery 55, a processing unit, such as a processor or a microcontroller, a memory unit for storing data of the determined temperature. The controlling unit 20 may be arranged in connection with the at least one temperature sensor 24 for receiving the determined temperature, and configured to control theelectrical heating element 22 for controlling the temperature by the electrical heating element 22 based on the determined temperature.

The portable device 100 may be arranged to provide electrical power from the battery 55 to the elec- trical heating element 22 and, optionally, to the controlling unit 20. However, in some embodiments, the controlling unit 20 may be powered by a separate power source, such as from another battery.

The portable device 100 may fur- ther comprise indication means for indicating to a user a safe storage of the item or object.

The indication means may include, for example, a visual indicator, such as light-emitting diode (LED) 26. The LED 26 may, preferably, be arranged to the controlling unit 20. The safe storage may include criteria related to temperature and, optionally, time interval or the total time period at certain temperature range.

As an example, this may entail monitoring the temperature of the space 12 such that if it is below or above some certain temperature value, the safe storage of the item or the object has been compromised.

The criteria may further depend on the time pe- riod during which the object is below or above certain temperature value.

For example, in case of an insulin pen, the acceptable, or the safe storage, temper- ature range may be from 2 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius.

However, the device 100, or specifically the controlling unit 20 thereof, may be configured such that the safe storage is compromised if the temperature remains below 2 degrees Celsius more than 2 minutes.

On the other hand, the device 100, or specifically the controlling unit 20 thereof, may be configured such that the safe storage is compromised if the temperature remains above 30 degrees Celsius more than 30 minutes, for instance.

However, the safe storage temperature range and, optionally, the time periods related to the temperature criteria may 2 differ depending on the item or the object to be stored.

Such as for an adrenaline S pen, the storing should be about at room temperature.

The temperature should se not be below 15 degrees Celsius.

There may be defined a lower or an upper O limit for the temperature depending on the object which temperature is to be I 30 controlled. a a s Furthermore, the indication means may be configured to indicate, such as by a > visual indication, for example by the LED 26, that the temperature of the object 2 has been in the safe storage temperature range and, thus, the user can be more N confident that the medication, for instance, is still effective as it has been — properly stored, at least temperature-wise.

The LED 26, for example, may have been configured to radiate green light, if the temperature has been in theacceptable range. The indication means may further be configured to indicate if the temperature has been outside the acceptable storage temperature range, such as by radiating red light by the LED 26, or alternatively, not indicating any- thing, that is turning off the LED 26.

In some embodiments, the portable device 100 may comprise a display screen, such as a touch screen, for illustrating the determined temperature and/or data of the determined temperature during some time period. The display screen may be configured to provide the indication means.

According to various embodiments, the portable device 100 may comprise a first communication unit, such as in the controlling unit 20 thereof. The first commu- nication unit may be configured to provide a communication connection, wire- lessly or in wired manner, with an external device or a remote terminal, such as a mobile terminal or a smart phone or a tablet. The controlling unit 20 may be configured to transmit data of the determined temperature, such as an instanta- neous value or a time series including determined temperature values of a cer- tain time period.

In some embodiments, the remote terminal, such as the smart phone, may be utilized to provide the indication means, for example, by indicating safe storage by the display screen of the mobile terminal or by a visual indicator thereof.

— In various embodiments, the portable device 100 may be rigid or foldable. Alter- natively or in addition, the portable device 100 may be at least partly rigid, such as at a corresponding portion with respect to the controlling unit 20, for instance. The portable device 100 may be arranged in two rigid halves of a hard case that o beneficially protects the object during sports, for instance.

O N 25 In some embodiments, the electrical heating element 22 or the electrical heating 7 unit 30 may be arranged such that temperature of the battery 55 is also con- N trolled. This can extend the operating time of the battery 55 especially in cold E environments.

3 Furthermore, in some embodiments, the portable device 100 may comprise a 3 30 second compartment for the remote terminal (shown in Figs. 5 and 6). The port- able device 100 may be further configured to control the temperature of the sec- ond compartment also. This can extend the operating time of the remote termi- nal especially in cold environments.

In some embodiments, the battery 55 may be used to provide power to a remote terminal, such as a smart phone, arranged next to or inside the portable device

100. Figure 3 illustrates schematically a portable device 100 according to an embod- iment of the present invention. The device 100 may comprise a compartment 50, such as a pouch, for receiving a battery 55. The compartment 50 may be arranged in a feature layer 160 arranged next to the protective layer 110, for instance, or as a separate pouch. Furthermore, the device 100 may comprise a space 12, such as a pouch, for receiving the item or object 10 which temperature isto be controlled. The device 100 may, preferably, comprise an electrical heat- ing element 22 arranged to provide heating to the space. The electrical heating element 22 may be arranged as an integral part of the electrical heating unit 30, such as shown in Fig. 1. The device 100 may, preferably, comprise at least one temperature sensor 24 arranged or adapted to be arranged into the space for determining a temperature inside the space 12. Furthermore, the portable device 100 may comprise a controlling unit 20, such as arranged, optionally also attached, on the electrical heating unit 30, if any, comprising electrical connection means 40, and/or a connector, for connecting with the battery 55, a processing unit, such as a processor or a microcontroller, a memory unit for storing data of the determined temperature. The controlling unit 20 may be arranged in connection with the at least one temperature sensor 24 for receiving the determined temperature, and configured to control the elec- trical heating element 22 for controlling the temperature by the electrical heating element 22 based on the determined temperature. The portable device 100 may o 25 bearranged to provide electrical power from the battery 55 to the electrical heat- AN ing element 22 and, optionally, to the controlling unit 20. The portable device N 100 may further comprise indication means for indicating to a user a safe stor- 7 age of the item or object 10. The indication means may include, for example, a N visual indicator, such as light-emitting diode (LED) 26. The LED 26 may, prefer- z 30 ably, be arranged to the controlling unit 20. S Figures 4A and 4B illustrate schematically a system including a bag 200 and a 3 portable device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The bag 200 may further be of thermally insulating material. In Fig. 4B, the portable device 100 may be arranged to fit into the bag 200 having a zipper 29 to close the bag 200, or, alternatively, the portable device 100 itself may include a zipper

29 or other closing mechanism arranged to provide closing mechanism for the portable device 100, such as in Fig. 4B, if imagined that the bag 200 itself is essentially the portable device 100.

Figure 5 illustrates schematically a remote terminal 300 and a portable device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The remote terminal 300, such as a smart phone or a tablet, may, preferably, comprise a second communication unit for connecting, that is to provide a communication connec- tion 210, with the first communication unit of the portable device 100 for receiv- ing the at least part of the data of the determined temperature. As stated here- inbefore, the remote terminal 300 may be configured to provide, such as by a display screen, information about the determined temperature. Alternatively or in addition, the remote terminal 300 may be configured to issue an alert, such as via the display screen and/or a speaker, if the determined temperature has been outside an acceptable, safe storage, temperature range.

— Figure 6 illustrates schematically a remote terminal 300, a further remote termi- nal 350 and a portable device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The remote terminals 300, 350 may be connected to each other through a second communication connection 220. Thus, the information about the safe storage may be forwarded through the remote terminal 300 to the fur- ther remote terminal 350 so that the safe storage may be monitored by another remote terminal as well.

Figure 7 illustrates schematically a portable device 100 according to an embod- iment of the present invention. The portable device 100 may comprise two spaces 12, such as pouches, for the objects 10 which temperature is to be con- N 25 trolled. Furthermore, there may be a compartment 50 for a battery 55 and, op- N tionally, also for a smart phone, for instance. The portable device 100 may or 3 may not comprise, for example, a zipper 29 arranged on the outer edges, or O close thereto, in order to close the portable device 100, such as shown in Fig. = 4B. The portable device 100 of Fig. 7 also comprises the controlling unit 20, the 3 30 temperature sensor 24 and the electrical heating element 22, however, are not S shown in the figure as they are, in some embodiments, enclosed between the 3 material layers of the device 100.

O N Figures 8A and 8B illustrate schematically portable devices 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention. As can be seen, the portabledevice 100 may have various different shapes, or may be flexible, or in rigid embodiments provided with folding lines so it may adapt different shapes ac- cording to the means it is carried. The portable devices 100 of Figs. 8A and 8B may, preferably, be rigid. Figure 9 illustrates schematically a remote terminal 300 according to an embod- iment of the present invention. The remote terminal 300 preferably comprises a display screen 90, such as a touch screen. The remote terminal 300 may be configured to establish a communication connection 210 between the remote terminal 300 and the portable device 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention. The communication connection may be utilized to transmit data, such as of the determined temperature, between the remote terminal 300 and the portable device 100. The remote terminal 300 may be configured to visualize the data to indicate safe storage of the object 10. In Fig. 9, which illustrates one example, current or av- erage (for a certain time period) temperature, at 91, in the space 12 of the port- able device 100 is shown and also the time period, at 92, during which the tem- perature has been in the safe storage temperature range, such as “1 hour 43 minutes”. There may also be a symbol for indicating the safe storage, at 93, such as by a smiley face or green color or by other indicative symbol, for instance. As described hereinbefore, if the safe storage has been compromised, this can also be configured to be shown on the display screen of the remote terminal 300. The display screen may also be configured to show other information such as current heating power being fed to the electrical heating element 22 and/or the charging state of the battery 55. N 25 In an embodiment, the portable device 100, such as the controlling unit 20 N thereof, may be configured to monitor the power consumed in the electrical heat- 3 ing element 22. If the power is at maximum for certain period of time, such as 3 for over one minute, the portable device 100 may indicate the user that some- = thing may be wrong, such as, that the temperature is outside the acceptable 3 30 range, or that there may be a problem with insulation as the maximum power is O not sufficient to provide enough heating. The indication may be done by the in- 3 dication means, such as by the LED 26 or by the remote terminal 300.

O N

The communication connection 210 between the remote terminal 300 and the portable device 100 may be, for example, a short-range communication connec- tion, such as based on Bluetooth® or the like. In various embodiments, the battery 55 may turn the power off if there is no load. With batteries 55 that require consumption to retain active, a minimum pulse- width modulation value for the heating element 22 may be set, for example, to provide over 60-milliamp load, such as from 60 milliamps to 100 milliamps, to keep battery 55 supplying power. In embodiments with continuous power from the battery 55, that is not requiring current to remain active, the controlling unit 20 may be configured to minimize its own energy consumption. The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be construed as limiting the applicability and/or the interpretation of the appended claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.

O QA O N

O <Q

LO N

I Ao a <

O =

LO o

O N

Claims (12)

1. Aflexible portable device (100) comprising: a compartment (50) for receiving a battery (55); a space (12), such as a pouch, for receiving an object (10) which temper- ature is to be controlled; an electrical heating element (22) arranged or adapted to be arranged into the space (12); at least one temperature sensor (24) arranged or adapted to be arranged into the space (12) for determining a temperature (91) inside the space (12); a controlling unit (20) comprising: - electrical connection means (40) for connecting with the battery (55), - a processing unit, - a memory unit for storing data of the determined temperature (91), and - indication means (26; 90) configured to indicate to a user a safe storage of the object (10), wherein the safe storage includes the stored determined tem- perature: remaining in a safe storage temperature range of the object (10), such as in the range from 2 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius for an insulin pen, o during the whole storage time interval for which the determined temperature (91) O has been stored into the memory unit, and/or 3 being outside of the safe storage temperature range at most for a certain 3 acceptable time period, such as 2 to 30 minutes, depending on the determined =E temperature and type of the object (10); S wherein the controlling unit (20) is arranged in connection with the at least 2 Lo one temperature sensor (24) for receiving the determined temperature (91), and > configured to control the electrical heating element (22) for controlling the tem- perature (91) by the electrical heating element (22) based on the determined temperature (91);

wherein the portable device (100) is arranged to provide electrical power from the battery (55) to the electrical heating element (22) and, optionally, to the controlling unit (20).

2. The portable device (100) of claim 1, wherein said indication means (26; 90) include a light-emitting diode (26), such as being part of the controlling unit (20), or a display screen.

3. The portable device (100) of claim 1 or 2, comprising, such as in the con- trolling unit (20), a first communication unit, such as a short-range wireless com- munication unit, configured to establish a first communication connection (210) with a remote terminal (300), such as a smart phone or a tablet, for transmitting at least part of the data of the determined temperature (91).

4. The portable device (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the space (12) is an inner volume of a pouch, the pouch comprising thermal insula- tion material for thermally insulating the inner volume of the pouch.

5. The portable device (100) of any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of temperature sensors (24) arranged into the space (12) for deter- mining the temperature inside the space (12).

6. The portable device (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical heating element (22) is a part of an electrical heating unit (30), wherein the electrical heating unit (30) further comprises a protective layer (110).

7. The portable device (100) of claim 6, wherein the electrical heating unit (30) comprises a reflective layer (120) arranged on opposite side of the electrical N heating element (22) relative to the protective layer (110).

N se

8. The portable device (100) of claim 6 or 7, wherein the electrical heating 0 unit (30) has a planar shape in at least one of its positions. E

9. The portable device (100) of any one of claims 6-8, wherein the electrical s heating unit (30) is foldable. 2 3

10. The portable device (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controlling unit (20) is configured to indicate, via the indication means (26), a power consumption of the portable device (100).

11. A portable system comprising: the flexible portable device (100) of any one of claims 3-10; and a remote terminal (300), such as a smart phone or a tablet, comprising a display screen (90) and a second communication unit for connecting with the portable device (100) for receiving at least part of the data of the determined temperature (91), and configured to indicate to a user the safe storage of the object (10) via the display screen (90).

12. The portable system of claim 11, wherein the remote terminal (300) is con- figured to issue an alert if the determined temperature (91) has been outside a safe storage temperature range, and, optionally, to issue the alert if the deter- mined temperature (91) has been outside the safe storage temperature range for a certain time period.

O

QA

O

N

O <Q

LO

N

I = <

O =

LO o

O

N